“Ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky” says Paul in the book of Romans in the Bible. “Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature.”

The Bible tells us that we can know the nature of the divine by looking at the world around us. Actually the Bible gives us all kinds of specific examples: ‘consider the lily’ says Jesus. ‘Go to the ant’ says Solomon. The book of Job even encourages us to look up at the sky and ‘gaze at the clouds’.

In the church where I grew up, everyone would have agreed that we should read the Bible and do what it says. But I don’t remember anyone ever inviting me to consider a lily. There were always flowers at the front, but we never stopped to look at them as if they could actually teach us anything – that would have been weird!

But why should it be? If the divine nature runs through all things, then God is here to be found in the dirt and the dandelions, the wind and the weeds. Does God expect us to look for him in these things? At Earthbound*, we think so, and we’re working on new ways to connect people with nature, both inside and outside the church.

Join us this week, as we use the Bible to look for God in the natural world.

—

*Earthbound finds new ways for people to connect with nature. If you need a regular dose of wonder, check them out at www.earthboundventures.org